murray



(No-Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 1.

K. S. MURRAY. APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY OPERATING VALVES 0R COCKS.

No. 463,584. Patented Nov. 1'7, 1891.

RERQPANQ aw.

wags

Wizvzwsas,

(N0 Mbdel.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 2.

K. s. MURRAY.

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY OPERATING VALVES 0R COOKS.

No. 463,534. Patented Nov. 17, 1891.

Y liwwztor Wtizasse; flaw? J.%w-,

W v 7 5 WM "(E NORRIS PETERS coi, mom-mum, WASHINGTON, u, c.

(No Modem 7 SheetsSheet 3. K.-S. MURRAY. APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY 'OPERATING VALVES OR UOCKS.

No. 463,534. Patented Nov. 17,1891.

jwentar MW- Wwzaxsw.

(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 4. V

K. S. MURRAY. APPARATUS FOR. AUTOMATICALLY OPERATING VALVES 0R COGK$.

Wiirwwas, f 2

we sows F'EYEHS co.. mom-umm, WASHINGTON, o. c.

7 Sheets-Sheet 5.

(No Model.)

K. S. MURRAY.

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIGALLY OPERATING VALVES 0R cocxs. v

No. 463,534. Patented Nov. 17, 1891-.

FIGS.

a. Kg, 10.9 u 65 Ewen/to 7" Winwsas.

(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet s. K. S. MURRAY.

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY OPERATING VALVES 0R COCKS.

No. 463,534. Patented Nov. 17, 1891.

FIG. 6.

In: News ruins co. morcrumn WASHINGTON, o. c.

x x v 1 v 0 1 a. 6 w 6 M 9. w 9 m l No Model.) 7 Shets-Sheet 7. K. S. MURRAY.

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY OPERATING VALVES 0R COCKS. No. 463,534. Patented Nov. 17,1891.

F/C. Z

STATES ATENT Enron.

KENNETH S. MURRAY, OF LONDON, ASSIGNOR TO THE CONTINENTAL OXYGEN COMPANY, LIMITED, OF WVESTMINSTER, GLAND.

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY OPERATING VALVES OR COCKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 463,534, dated November 17, 1891. Application filed September 4, 1890, Serial No. 363,945. (No model.) Patented in England March 21, 1889, No. 4,955.

To all 172720124, it may concern:

Be it known that I, KENNETH SUTHERLAND MURRAY, engineer, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain an d Ireland, residing at 21 Redburn Street, Chelsea, in the county of MiddleseX,England,have invented certain improvements in apparatus for automaticallyoperating valves or cocks so as to change the communications, as desired, in certain processes, more especially in obtaining oxygen from atmospheric air, (for which I have obtained a patentin Great Britain, No. 4,955, dated March 21,1889,) of which the followingisaspeciflcation.

This invention is intended more particularly for use with apparatus employed in the production of oxygen by what is known as the Brio process; but it is not limited thereto, its object being to provide means for automatically reversing one or several of a series of cocks or valves, so as to produce, as required, either suction or pressure in a series of pipes with which they are connected without stopping, reversing, or setting in motion any additional machinery.

In order to extract oxygen from the atmosphere by what is known as the Brin process, it is necessary to pump or otherwise deliver air through aseries of pipes and retorts for a given period, and then to divert the current to prevent any further admission of air, andto exhaust from the pipes and retorts the air which they contain, and finally, having obtained the required quality of oxygen, to deliver the same into agas-holder or suitable receptacle. To accomplish this automatically according to this invention, the motion of some rotating or reciprocating portion of a pump or other apparatus that may be employed in the process is utilized for rotating a shaft, from which shaft and by means of suitable gearing motion is given to another shaft carrviin adjustable cams so arran ed as to act at the required periods on valves so as to admit steam or other motive fluid to a cylinder or cylinders containing a piston or pistons for imparting motion to the plugs of the cocks. Each of these cylinders is provided at its opposite ends with a drain-pipe, the passage through which is so regulated that the cylinder cannot be readily emptied of the motive fluid,so that the fluid will form a cushion between the piston and the end of the cylinder opposite that to'which the motive fluid is being admitted. To prevent a vacuum being formed in the cylinder, at backpressure valve is provided for each end of the cylinder. The piston-rods carry or are connected to racks or other equivalent devices for operating the plugs of the cooks, so as to reverse or alter their positions'and change the course of the air in the pipes. In addition to these cocks valves are provided, which are operated by pressure of the air in the pipes, so as to automatically change the position of the valves to conduct the air and gas in the required directions to and from the retorts.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a plan of an apparatus provided with a combination of cocks arranged forcarrying out the invention; but the invention is not restricted to the precise arrangement illustrated and described. Fig. 2 is a vertical section partly in elevation. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, and Fig. 4 an .end elevation, of the apparatus. Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional views at right angles to each other of the automatic distributing-valve box and valve, and Fig. 7 is a diagram hereinafter referred to when describing the operation. Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, 1 represents a metal table or platform having holes therein in which are fitted cocks 2, 3, 4, and

5, the heads of the plugs of which cocks project above the table, as shown, and are provided with toothed wheels or the like, by which the plugs are turned in the shells of the cooks. The cock 2 has three passages or branches 6, 7, and 8. The cock 3 has also three passages or branches 9, 10, and 11. The cock 4 has two passages or branches 12 and 13, and the cock 5 has three passages or branches 14, 15, and 16. The branch 8 of the cock 2 communicates with the atmosphere by the pipe 17. The branch 6 communicates by the pipe 20 with the suction end of an air-pump, and the branch 7 is connected by a pipe 26 to the distributing-valve box and through itto the retoris, as hereinafter described. The branch 9 of the cock 3 is connected by a pipe 22,

Figs. 1 and 4, to the delivery end of the airpump, to which the branch 6 of the cock 2 is attached. The branch 11 communicates by a pipe 23 with a purifier, and the branch is connected by a pipe 24 to the branch 14 of the cock 5. The branch 13 of the cock 4 is connected by a pipe 25 to the purifier, to which the branch 11 of the cock 3 is connected, and the branch 12 is connected by a pipe 26 to the distributing-valve box to which the pipe 21, in connection with the cock 2, is connected. The branch 16 of the cock 5 is connected by a pipe 27 to a gas-holder. The branch 15 communicates by a pipe 28 with the atmosphere, and the branch 14 of this cock is connected, as hereinbefore stated, by the pipe 24 with the branch 10 of the cock The plug of the cock 2 carries a pinion 29 in gear with the teeth of a rack 30, which also gears with a pinion 31 on the plug of the cock 3, and this latter pinion gears with a segment 31 on the plug of the cock 4, so that when the plugs of the cocks 2 and 3 are turned the plug of the cock 4 will be also operated. The plug of the cock 5 also carries a pinion 32 in gear with a rack 33, which is operated independently of the rack 30. The racks and 33 are respectively formed on or attached to piston-rods 34 and 35 of pistons (one of which is shown at 36 in Fig. 2) working in cylinders 37 and 3S, bolted to the table 1. The covers 39 and 40 to the outer ends of these cylinders constitute valve-boxes, each divided by partitions in to three com partments 41, 42, and 43. The chambers 42 and 43 communicate by passages 44 and 45, respectively, with the opposite ends of the corresponding cylinder-that is to say, the compartment 42 in the cover 39 communicates by the passage 44 with the outer end of the cylinder 37 and the compartment 43 com mimic-ates by the pipe or passage 45 with the opposite end of the said cylinder. The compartments 42 and 43 in the cover 40 communicate in a similar manner with the opposite ends of the cylinder 38. The compartments 41 are situated above the compartments 42 and 43,and are continually charged with steam or other motive fluid admitted thereto by the pipe 46, which fluid is allowed by valves 47 to pass from these compartments, as required, into the "lower compartments 42 and 43. The valves 47 are carried on rods 48, which pass through stuffingboxes 49 and carry at their outer ends friction-bowls 50, acted upon by cams 51 and 52, so as to open the valves 47 at the required periods. The cams 51 52 are carried on a shaft 53, receiving rotation by gearing 54 from a shaft 55, driven by means of a pawl and ratchet-wheel 57, the pawl 56 being carried on a lever 58, operated by a connecting-rod 59, connected at one end to the lever 58 and at its other end to any suitable moving part of the apparatus. lVhen the valve 47 in the cover 39 is raised so as to open communication between the compartments 41 and 42, the motive fluid will pass from 41 to 42 and through 44 into the cylinder 37, so as to drive the piston 36 to the opposite end of the cylinder, and when this valve is released and closed and the valve in the compartment 43 is raised, the motive fluid will enter this compartment and pass by the pipe or passage 45 to the opposite end of cylinder and drive the piston back again. The same process takes place with reference to the cylinder 38. These to and fro motions of the pistonsin the cylinders 37 and 38 impart motion through the racks 30 and 33 to the plugs of the cooks 2, 3, 4, and 5, so as to divert at the required periods the course of the air or gas passing through the pipes connected therewith. The cams 51 and 52, which operate the valves 47 in the boxes 39 and 40, are capable of being adjusted in position on the spindle 53,so as to vary,as required, the periods at which the motive fluid is admitted to the cylinders 37 and 38 to operate the cocks 2, 3, 4, and 5. The opposite ends of both cylinders communicate by pipes 60'and 61 with a valve-box 62, which is also con-v nected to a main drain-pipe to carry away the exhaust motive fluid. The valves in the box 62 are so arranged that when pressure is admitted to either end of either of the cylinders the outlet-pipe at that end is closed from the main drain -pipe and its opposite end opened to the said d rain-pipe. The passages to the main drain-pipe are so throttled as to prevent the exhaust motive fluid escaping too rapidly, so as to provide a cushion between the pistons and ends of the cylinder at each stroke of the pistons.

The automatic distributing-valve box, Figs. 5 and 6, is situated in the pipe 26, leading to the retorts used in the Brin process, and consists of two parts 63 and 64,the part 63 containing valves 65 and 66, fast on a rod 67, connected to a flexible diaphragm 68, which, when acted on by the pressure of air entering the chamber 69 by the pipe 26 from the apparatus hereinbefore described, closes the valve 65 and opens the valve 66, the positions of which valves are reversed when the oxygen is being exhausted from the retorts, the diaphragm 68 being then raised bythe suction of the pump or exhausting apparatus so as to open the valve 65 and close the valve 66. The part 64 of the distributing-valve box may be connected directly to the part 63, as shown, or, if desired, it may be arranged at a distance therefrom and be connected thereto by suitable pipes or passages. This part 64 of the valve-box is divided by partitions into four chambers 72 73 74 75, the communications between these chambers being governed by valves 76 77 and 78 79, arranged in pairs. each pair being carried on separate rods 80 and 81, which respectively pass through stuffing-boXes 82 and 83, and are connected at their outer ends to a bar 84, which is also connected by a rod 85 to a piston 86 in a cylinder 87, mounted on top of the box 64. The

chambers 74 75 communicate by pipes 89 90 with the retorts in which the oxygen is ob- IIC tained, and the chambers 72 and 73 commu nicate, respectively, with the chambers 69 and 67 in the portion 63 of the valve-box. The cylinder 87 is provided at its opposite ends with ports or passages 91 92 for the admission of pressure to operate the piston 86, which passages are governed by valves 93 94, working in a valve-box 95, the valve-rods being provided with springs 96, tending to maintain the valves normally against a projection or stop 97, in which position they close the ports or passages 91 92. is fulcrumed at 99 on the box 95, and carries at each end a spring bolt or stop 100 101. The lever 98 is connected by a link 102 to one arm of a bell-crank lever 103, the other arm of which bell-crank is connected to the piston 86, so that by the reciprocations of this piston this lever 98 is oscillated, so as to cause the stops 100 101 to be brought alternately into position to prevent one or other of the valves 93 94 from moving in the valve-box under pressure admitted thereto through the pipe or passage 104.

We will now describe the operation of the apparatus, and for that purpose will refer (in addition to the figures already described) to Fig. 7, in which isillustrated by arrows the various courses which the air is caused to take; but as the construction of the apparatus is fully described with reference to Figs. 1 to 6, the cock and valve-boxes are only indicated in Fig. 7 diagrammatically, without regard to their form or construction.

Let it be supposed that the pistons 36 in the cylinders 37 38, Figs. 1 to 4, are at the rear ends of the said cylinders (shown in Fig. 2) and the plugs of the cocks 2, 3, 4, and 5 in the following positions, namely: that of the cock 2 so as to admit air from the atmosphere by the passage or branch 8 and pass through the cock to the air-pump, (which is indicated diagrammatically at 105, Fig. 7,) the cock being then closed to the pipe 26, leading to the distributing-valve box 63 64; the cock 3 open to the purifiers (indicated diagrammatically at 106, Fig. 7) and closed to the pipe 24, leading to the cock 5; the cock 4 open so as to give a clear passage from the purifiers 106 to the distributing-valves, and the cock- 5 open to the atmosphere through the pipe 28 and closed to the gas-holder, which is indicated diagrammatically at 107 in Fig. 7. The cocks and valves being in the positions described and the air-pump 105 being at work, air is drawn through the cock 2 and forced through the cock 3 into the purifiers 106,Fig. 7. It passes thence, as indicated by arrows 1 past the cock 4 to the part 63 of the distributing-valve box, entering the chamber 69 therein by the pipe or passage 26 and passing out therefrom by the branch or passage 108 into the chamber 72 of the part 64 of the valve-box, whence it passes by the valve 77 into the chamber and out therefrom into the pipe 90, by which it is conducted into the retorts in which the oxygen of the air is absorbed. The air after A double-armed lever 98 passing through the retorts is conductedtherefrom, as shown by arrows 2 by the pipe or passage 89 to the chamber 74 of the part 64 of the distributing-valve box and passing by the valve 78 enters the chamber 73, whence it passes by the branch or'passage 109 into the chamber 71 of the part 63 of the valve-box and past the valve 66 and check-valve 110 into the atmosphere, a portion of the air entering by pipe '104, the valve-box 95, and maintaining by the pressure thereof the piston 86 and the valves in the position shown in the drawings. After this has continued for the desired length of time (governed by the position of the cams 51 52, which operate the valves for admitting motive fluid to the cylinders 37 and 38) the position of the plugs of the cocks 2, 3,4, and 5 is reversed, the cock 2 being then closed to the atmosphere, but' open to the air-pump and to the distributingvalve box, the cock 3 closed to the purifiers and open to the air-pump and to the pipe lead I ing to the cock 5, the cock 4 entirely closed. The cock 5 is not reversed at the same time as the cooks 2, 3, and 4, but remains for a short period open to the atmosphere and to the pipe from the cock 3. The cocks being reversed, as described, and the valves in the distributingvalve box being in the positions shown in Figs. 5 and 6 and the air-pump being still at work, the supply of air to the retorts is cut off, and the suction of the said pump, acting on the diaphragm 68, opens the valve 65 and closes the valve 66, while the gas is drawn from the retorts by the air-pump, the course of the gas being as indicated by arrows 3 Fig. 7. The said gas is conducted from the retorts by both pipes or passages 89 and into the chambers 74 and 75 of the distributing-valve box, and passes thence past the valves 77 and 78 into the chambers 72 and 73, thence by the branches 108 and 109 into the chambers 69 and 71 of the part 63 of the distributing-valve box, and as the valve 66 is closed and the valve 65 open the gas entering the chamber 71 will pass the valve 65 into the chamber 69, and therefrom (together with the gas that entered the said chamber 69 by the passage 108) by the pipe 26 to the cock 2, and through the said cock to the air-pump, by which it is then forced through the cooks 3 and 5. The cock 5 being still open to the atmosphere, theair contained in the pipes will be forced out, after which the cock 5 is reversed, so as to close it to the atmosphere and open the communication between the cock 3 and the gas-holder, whereupon the gas will be forced into the said gasholder. After this process has proceeded for the desired length of time the cocks are again reversed and air admitted to the retorts, as hereinbefore described.

It will be readily understood that the reversa-l of the cooks 2, 3, and 4 and the cock 5 may be caused to take place at any desired. intervals by altering the position of the cams 51 52, or by any other convenient device actu- 4 leases ated by some moving part of the apparatus. The automatic reversal of the positions of the valves in the distributing-valve box is effected in the following manner: Supposing air to be passing through the retorts under pressure, as already described, it will be understood that; pressure will be created in the distributing -valve box above the valve 00, which pressure may be regulated as required by adjusting the pressure of the spring 111. on the relief or escape valve 110. The pressure thus created passes through the pipe 104; into the valve-box 95 between the piston-valves 03 9 c. The connection of the pipe 10-1 being between the relief-valve and the valve 60, the valvebox and the space above the valve are not subject to the vacuum formed elsewhere in the apparatus. Assume the piston 80, and consequently the valves 70, 77, 78, and in the distributing-valve box, to bein the reverse positions to those shown in the drawings and the valves 93 and 01 in the valve-box 95 against the stop 97, the spring-bolt 100 on one end of the beam or lever 08 will then be opposite the end of the rod of the piston-valve 03, so as to prevent it being moved by the pressure in the valve-box 95. Consequently this pressure will be exerted to move the valve 01, so as to open the port 92 leading to the space at the back of the piston 86, the piston being thus caused to move in the cylinder into the position shown in the drawings, and in doing so force air contained in the cylinder on the opposite side of the piston through a small pipe 112 into the space in the valvebox C behind the valve 01, thereby producing an equilibrium of pressure on both sides of this valve. The piston 80, having been forced by the pressure entering the cylinder by the port 92 to the opposite end of the cylinder, effects, through the rod and lever or bar 84:, the reversal of the positions of the valves 76 77 78 79, and at the same time, through the bell-crank lever 103, rocks the beam or lever 08 on its fulcrum, so as to raise the spring-bolt 100 away from the end of the rod of the valve 93 and bring the spring-bolt 101 to bear on the rod of the valve 91, thereby compressing the spring of this bolt, the parts being then in the position shown in Fig. [3.

\Vhile air is being passed under pressure through the retorts, as hereinbefore described, this pressure will be maintained against the piston 86 and the parts will remain in the position shown; but when thereversal of the cocks 2, 3, L, and 5 takes place, as hereinbefore described, and the rest of the plant is under the action of vacuum, the supply of pressure to the cylinder 87 being thus stopped the pressure remaining therein leaks away gradually through a small opening 113 provided for the purpose in one end of the cylinder. There being new no pressure in the valve-box 05, the valve 94 is forced by its spring against the stop 97, thereby covering the port 92 and freeing the stopper 101, which is then forced down by its spring 101 in front of the end of the rod of the valve 9-1., so that when pressure again enters the valvebox 95 the valve 93 will be caused to move and uncover the port 01,so as to admit pressure to the opposite end of the cylinder, and thereby through the piston 80 reverse the positions of the valves 76, 77, 7S, and 70, the valve 93 being placed in equilibrium by the pressure entering the valve-box from the cylinder 87 by the passage 91, as described with reference to the valve 9. The parts being thus reversed remain in this position until the cooks 2, 3, l, and 5 are again reversed, so as to cut off the supply of air to the retorts and while the gas is being exhausted from the retorts. The cocks 2, 3, and 4 are then again turned, so as to admit pressure to the -retorts, whereupon the valves 76, 77, 7S, and

79 will be again reversed and the operations hereinbefore described repeated.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the valves 70, 77, 7S, and 79 are antomatically reversed each time the pressure is renewed in the retorts, and that this renewal of pressure is effected automatically by reversing the cocks 2, 3, and 4 at the required periods by suitably-timed cams or othersuitable moving part or parts of the apparatus.

I claim- 1. In a system for conveying currents of fluid to and from receptacles, such as retorts, the combination of conveying-pipes, a pump therein, cocks and valves adapted in one position to provide an uninterrupted passage from the inlet of the system through the receptacles to an outlet andin another position to close the said outlet and provide a passage from said receptacles back through the conveying-pipes, and means, such as specified, for operating said cocks and valves at intervals, substantially as described.

2. In a system for supplying currents of fluid, such as air, to retorts or other receptacles, the combination of the pipes leading to said receptacles, a pump for drawing the fluid into said pipes and forcingit through the same to said receptacles, an automatic controllingvalve having direct and return passages, a series of cocks, one of which controls the inlet to said pipes, and means, such as specified, for turning said cocks at intervals to close said inlet and reverse said controllingyalve, thereby reversing the direction of the currents through said pi pes, substantially as described.

In a system for supplying currents of fluid to receptacles, the combination of the conveying-pipes, an air-pump, three-way cocks adapted to connect the pump between the inlet and the receptacles for delivery and between the latter and the discharge or outlet for exhaust, means for actuating said cocks, and an automatic controlling-valve operated by variations of pressure in the system, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

at. In a system for supplying currents of fluid, the combination, with the conveyingpipes, of a series of cocks in said pipes, a pis- ICC ton Working in a cylinder and geared or connected with said cocks, valves controlling the admission of fluid to said cylinder on either side of said piston, and means, as specified, for actuating said valves at determined periods, substantially as described.

5. In a system for conveying fluids to and from receptacles, such as retorts, the combination, with the conveying-pipe, of direct and return pipes communicating with said receptacles, and a reversible distributing-valve connected on one side with the conveying-pipe and on the other with the two pipes connected with said receptacles, whereby the circulation of fluid through said receptacles may be reversed, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the main conveying-pipe for conveying fluids to and from receptacles, such as retorts, of a distributingvalve between said pipe and receptacles, two pipes leading from the chamber of said valve to said receptacles, an automatic pressure-actuated valve connected with said conveyingpipe, and means, such as a pump, for producing either pressure or suction in said pipe, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination of the main pipe, the distributing valve connected therewith on one side, two pipes connected with said valve on the other side, a piston Working in a suitable cylinder for reversing said valve and thereby changing the direction of current through said two pipes, an automatic controlling-valve actuated by pressure in the main pipe and controlling the ports to said cylinder, and means, such as a pump, for producing either suction or pressure in said conveying-pipe, whereby at each change'trom suction to pressure, or vice versa, said automatic valve is actuated and the direction of current in the main pipe reversed and at each renewal of pressure said distributing-.valve is reversed, substantially as described.

8. In a system for supplying air to retorts, the combination of the main conveying-pipe leading to said retorts, an air-pump in said pipe, a branch pipe leading from the main pipe to a gas-holder, a three-way cock adapted to connect the pipe between the air-inlet and the retorts or to close said inlet and connect the pump with a return-pipe from the retorts, and another cock orcocks for connecting the gasholder with the pump and main pipe, substantially as described. 4

0. In a system for supplying air to retorts and for exhausting oxygen from said retorts, the combination of a pipe leading from the air-inlet to a three-way cock and through purifiers to said retorts, a pump between said three-way cock and retorts, an automatic controlling-valve, a branch or return pipe leading around said purifiers to said three-way cock, at gas-holder and a branch connecting the same with the main pipe, other cocks controlling the passage of air through said purifiers and branch pipes, and means, such as specified, for actuating said cocks at determined periods, and so reversing the-direction of currents produced by said pump, substantially as described.

10. In an apparatus for supplying and exhausting retorts in a system for production of oxygen, the combination of a series of pipes comprising a main pipe leading from the airinlet through purifiers to the retorts, a branch pipe leading from the main pipe to a gasholder, and a return-pipe connected to the main directpipe around the purifiers, an automatic pressureactuated controlling-valve near the delivery end of the main pipe, a reversible distributing-valve for reversingthe direction of airthrough said retorts each time pressure is restored to said controlling-valve, and a series of cooks for controlling the direction of currents to and from said pump, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

K. S. MURRAY. 

